I always opt for neutering at an earlier age--partly for the reasons Maryellen notes. The "kids" really don't seem to have issues with the surgery as opposed to some older dogs who tend to worry the incision or just in general take longer to recover.

Our rescue has a vet that will do the pediatric neuters, which is what I want because I just don't want to adopt out an intact dog--I've only done it twice in my life but I kept on those pups' owners till I got the speuter certificates, and I know I was a PITA till I got them!

I've never really understood the complaint that the pup might turn out to be "leggy" or whatever because I've never noticed it in pet dogs. I mean, when it comes down to it, if someone put two pet dogs down in front of me at 1 year and said, 'pick the one neutered at 8 weeks and the one neutered at a year,' I doubt I could tell the diff. And I have yet to meet an owner who has told me that his/her dog had growing issues because of early speuter . . . despite the fact that there are people out there in the ether who claim it has adverse affects, causes growth issues, etc. I honestly just haven't seen the proof that this is the case.

I don't have a problem with people keeping their pus intact till 6 mos. or more if they feel they must do so, IF they are able/willing/understanding of the need to keep that dog from getting near females in heat. But I honestly dunno that the average pet owner would really see any negative consequences in a dog neutered early. Maybe I'm wrong, but I know lots of dogs neutered quite young who stack up pretty well to the boys who've kept their, um, boys till an older age.

I'm trying to talk my fiance into neutering our boy...he doesn't want to do it...his history has no signs of cancer 4 generations back and he doesn't hump anything at all...not even our spayed female. He's pretty laid back, sweet as pie and no aggression unless there is a male around his size or bigger, but we just don't let that happen. How can I convince him other than the "red Rocket" issue that really doesn't pop up all that much?
He has no problems with neutering the rabbits, but then we couldn't house the rabbits together (both males) without them being neutered because of the fighting issue.
None of the chinchillas will ever be neutered though...too risky for those little guys who are prone to infection.
So, the cancer arguement doesn't work because there is no cancer in mother or father's lines for 4 generations...The aggression arguement doesn't work because he has no aggression...and my fiance says he shouldn't have to pay to keep some other idiot's dog from getting knocked up. He thinks it's the owner of female dogs responsibility to keep unwanted pregnancies from happening...but Orion lives in the house and couldn't jump the fence if he wanted to.

PitbullGirl wrote:but Orion lives in the house and couldn't jump the fence if he wanted to.

Window screens aren't much of a deterrant, nor is a window for that matter. Dogs have been known to tie through chain link fences.

If he ever gets out and gets a female pregnant on that dog's property and the owners of that dog want to hold you responsible you can legally be held responsible for the cost of every dog in the litter.

Ruby's breeding contract stated that an accidental breeding made me finantially repsonsible for all of the puppies - at $1500 each.

Mistakes happen, he could charge the door one day if he smells a dog in heat walking past your house. I know of a resuce that had a dog jump out of a car window at about 30 miles an hour to do the deed - that was during the transport from shelter to rescue.

If he just can't stand the thought of the dog losing his nuts, then your vet may entertain the idea of a vasectomy.

Of course, you could ask him why exactly he is identifying with the sexuality of his dog...

When I got Toda, I planned on not getting him neutered at all or waiting until he was fully grown. He was just neutered December 2003. He was born April 2002. I thought neutering might calm him down a little. He was craziness It didn't. Age is the only thing that calmed him down.

If you can keep your dog from getting to a female, I'd wait til he was grown up.

Maximus wrote:I didn't mean to imply that it was negative in any way. I just thought it was curious, because he is very long and slim. Just an observation. If you ask me, my little guy's absolutely perfect!

So will my girl be more long legged and so on?
she was spayed at 8wks or so. The place we adopted her from said if we didn't spay her on the date they gave us, the adoption wouldn't be finalized.

PitbullGirl wrote:. How can I convince him other than the "red Rocket" issue that really doesn't pop up all that much?.

rod still sports his sleek red rocket on a daily basis and he's nutless.

i waited until rod was a year old to have him snipped. he wasnt in too much pain and the drugs had him chilled out for a while. the cone collar they gave me was way too big for him, he couldnt even walk. it was the only size that fit around his neck. thank god he wasnt persistant with the stitches.

the vet agreed with me when i mentioned waiting til he's full grown to get them chopped. my boy fille out quite nicely.